Maryland Joins Seven States in Enhancing Roadway Safety by Offering Driver’s Licenses to ImmigrantsMaryland Highway Safety Act of 2013 takes effect January 1stAppointments for January 2nd now being accepted

GLEN BURNIE, MD (November 5, 2013) – Working to enhance highway safety by ensuring only qualified drivers are on the roads, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) today announced that it is scheduling appointments for undocumented immigrants who wish to apply for a non-REAL ID* compliant driver’s license or identification (ID) card. Appointments can only be made online at www.mva.maryland.gov/license, with the first appointment available on January 2, 2014. The new process is made possible by the passage of the Maryland Highway Safety Act of 2013.

“Thanks to the leadership of our elected officials in passing the Maryland Highway Safety Act, we can strengthen our roadway safety efforts by ensuring that only qualified drivers are on the road,” said John Kuo, MVA Administrator. “It is important for every driver to understand the rules of the road and become licensed because safety is the MVA’s number one priority on Maryland roadways.”

The new law clears the way for applicants presenting foreign documentation, without valid accompanying United States Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation, to obtain a Maryland driver’s license or ID card. To apply for a Maryland driver’s license or ID card, applicants must:

Have or apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number through the Internal Revenue Service;

Obtain a letter from the Maryland Comptroller’s Office stating you have filed Maryland Income Taxes for the preceding 2 years (these steps must be completed before you can come to the MVA). For more information on MVA tax certifications, customers may go to the Comptroller’s website: http://bit.ly/16AyAVx;

Apply for and obtain identity documents such as a valid, current foreign passport; and

Obtain two residency documents such as copies of a residential lease, utility bill, or bank statement to prove you are a resident of Maryland.

Once an applicant has completed these four steps they must schedule an appointment to apply for a Maryland driver’s license or ID card through the online appointment process at www.mva.maryland.gov/license.

The MVA also recommends that applicants read the Maryland Driver’s Manual and then take the Online Driver Test Tutorial to prepare for the driver knowledge test, which all applicants must pass. Also, review the MVA’s Driver Test Video and its step by step instructions for actually taking the knowledge test and on-the-road test. The Online Driver Test Tutorial and Driver Test Video are located on the MVA’s website at www.mva.maryland.gov.

The MVA warns all applicants that any person offering to assist in obtaining a driver’s license or ID card in exchange for money does not work for the MVA. If you are solicited for money for this service, report the incident by calling the MVA’s Integrity Hotline at 1-800-296-4709. Use extreme caution in working with any third party.

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*The Real ID Act is a federal law that requires state drivers' licenses and non-driver identification (ID) cards meet certain minimum standards. The cards are accepted for federal purposes, such as access to federal facilities, boarding commercial aircraft, or other secure federal facilities designated by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Those with non- Real ID compliant driver’s licenses or identification cards that do not meet the federal standards may find it harder to use for federal purposes.